We do not know when the first church in Førde was built, but it was probably in the 12th or 13th century. The first official record of the church is from the old property register “Bergens kalvskinn” from the early 14th century.

The old medieval church stood until the first half of the 17th century. Then it was expanded with a new nave and narthex, and the old church was used as a choir in the new church. In 1838, a new church was built in the same place. It was demolished in 1884, and the current church was built and consecrated in 1885.

The main reason for renewing the churches – excluding wear and tear and lack of maintenance – was changes in the population. By the 17th century, the population had recovered from the Black Death, which is why a new church was needed. In the first half of the 19th century, the population again increased sharply, and in 1838 a new church was ready. In 1851, a new law was passed requiring churches to accommodate at least one-third of the population in the parish. The church from 1838 did not, and therefore another church had to be planned.

Much of today's fixtures, including altarpiece, pulpit, epitaph and several paintings, are from the old 17th-century church. Especially the altarpiece stands out. It was gifted from the wealthy priest Peder Finde in 1643. When the new church was to be inaugurated in 1885, there was a dispute over the altarpiece. Some thought it was ugly and too "Catholic." However, it re-entered the church in 1925, and with the exception of a restoration period in the 1990s, it has been placed against the back wall of the choir ever since.