A church has stood in Södra Åkarp since the 1100s. That medieval building was vaulted and decorated in the 1400s, and a tower was added in 1851. When the parish decided to build anew in 1887–1888, the old church was largely demolished; only the tower's base was retained, though even this was later altered, with its upper section rebuilt and given a tall spire.
The present church has a brick nave with a three-sided chancel, typical of the period's parish church design in the region. Inside, the most notable object is the altarpiece, whose framework dates back to the early 1600s and has been restored several times over the centuries. When the new church was completed in 1888, its central painting was replaced with a new oil work by the Danish artist Fredrik Krebs, depicting the crucifixion of Christ with Mary and other mourning figures at the foot of the cross, rather than the earlier scene showing the institution of the Lord's Supper.
Other furnishings include a pulpit with four carved figures, made at the same time as the new church, and a font cast in cement in 1888. Among the church bells, the smaller one is considerably older, cast in the late 1400s, while the larger bell was cast in Copenhagen in 1656 — both survivors from the church's earlier history.
The organ was built in 1888 by Salomon Molander & Co of Gothenburg and is a mechanical instrument with fixed combinations; it has been rebuilt and revoiced more than once, including work in the 1970s.
Today the church seats around 120 people and is used mainly for weddings, baptisms, funerals, occasional services and concerts.