It is one of the churches for the Åmli parish which is part of the Aust-Nedenes prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder og Telemark.

[1][2][3] The earliest existing historical records of the church date back to the year 1378, but it was possibly founded during the 13th century.

In 1724, the priest Niels Pedersen purchased all the churches in Åmli prestegjeld when the King put them up for sale to help pay off his war debts.

Shortly afterwards, the parish decided to tear down the centuries-old church and build a new one on the same site.

This church was a wooden building with many windows and its exterior was painted white.

Ludvig Karlsen was hired to lead the construction of the new timber-framed church on the new site.