It is located in the village of Mollestad, about 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) southwest of the municipal centre of Birkeland.

It is the church for the Birkenes parish which is part of the Vest-Nedenes prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder og Telemark.

The white, wooden church was built in a cruciform design in 1858 using plans drawn up by the architect Christian Heinrich Grosch.

The first church on this site was a stone building that had a rectangular nave and a narrower, nearly square-shaped choir.

The new wooden church was consecrated on 1 December 1858 by the Bishop Jacob von der Lippe.