It is the main church for the Sauda parish which is part of the Ryfylke prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Stavanger.

The white, wooden church was built in a long church design in 1866 using designs by the famous architect Hans Linstow.

After the renovation, nothing was left of the original medieval stave church.

[3] In 1864, the parish decided to move the church site to the larger village of Sauda, about 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) to the northeast.

The new church was completed in 1866 and it was consecrated on 26 September 1866 by the parish priest P. R. Hoffgaard on behalf of the Bishop Jacob von der Lippe.