Api-Api also known as Kota Kinabalu, is the State Capital of Sabah since the end of World War II. It is the administrative and commercial center of the state of Sabah. Many youths from the other True Jesus Churches came to look for employment and settled down here. The Office of the Sabah General Assembly is also located at the Kota Kinabalu Church.
In early 1928, Brother Lee Siak Lin of Sandakan and Elder Elijah Wong of Malaya, came to Kota Kinabalu to preach the gospel. The earliest converts were: Tseng Ching De, Kong Ching Foh, Lo En Kong and their families numbering about 20 people.
They met at the residence of Mr. Tseng En Fook, the son-in-law of Eld. Wong, to observe the Sabbath. When the number of believers reached to 75, the church was established in August. The early workers were deacons and deaconess Simon Chin, Hulda Lee, Deborah Tsen, Tsen Ching De, Lo Su Fook, Matthew Chong and Eunice Wong.
Due to slanders and persecutions around 1930, the gathering place was relocated to the house of Dns. Hulda Lee in 1932. Dn. Philip Tyan of Beaufort assisted the missionary works intermittently. In addition to the Sabbath service, the evening service was also held on Wednesdays and the membership was about 50.
A wooden house at 0.8 km of Penampang Road was purchased at a price of about $400 in 1938. After renovation and furnishing, it became the first church premises. Later when the church faced disturbance from certain clique that against the truth, it was decided that the church property be disposed off and moved back to the house of Dns. Lee for the service.
Owing to the poor condition and lack of maintenance, the building was unfitted for the church service. Therefore, Dns. Lee took out her own money to build another wooden house as a temporary gathering place.
Later, the church acquired a piece of land from the government at 5.2 km of Tuaran Road (present site) and considered it to be the permanent site of the church. Due to adverse situation of the World War II from 1942 to 1945, the missionary work came to a halt as the believers were scattered and the church building was vandalized. Church service was resumed at the house of Dn. Philip Liew in Penampang Road in early 1947 and the construction fund was raised for the church.
By 1951, a wooden church building costing about RM$4,000 with a capacity of accommodating about 200 persons was constructed at the old site and dedicated to the Lord.
Through the wonderful arrangement of the Lord, the General Assembly of the True Jesus Church in Taiwan sent Dns. John Yang and Fong Shen Lin to the request of the Sabah Church to assist the missionary works in Sabah, 1964. They vitalized the faith, innovated the church affairs, increased the frequency of service and set up Religious Education class to train the younger generations. The faith of the members were greatly strengthened, the organization and administration of the church enhanced, and the number of believers increased gradually.
As the church building was old and inadequate for use, a decision was made by the church members to have it demolished. A permanent new church building, capable of accommodating 500 people and costing more than RM$100,000, was set out to construct in 1971 and was dedicated to the Lord on December 24, 1972 during the spiritual convocation.
In the early 1974, Dn. John Yang returned together with Dn. Soon Tao Hsieh to assist the divine work. They gave various seminars in this church and the members were greatly benefited. To meet the requirements of the church, another 2-storied building was constructed for the R.E. classrooms and the hostel, and completed in 1975.
To commemorate the 50th Evangelical Anniversary in Sabah, 1977, Dns. John Yang and Preacher Mu-Fu Tsai were sent by the International Assembly (IA) to here. They assisted in the evangelical services at various community centers throughout the state and were backed up by all the church members.
Owing to the ever increase of children and youths and insufficient classrooms for each level of class, a 5-storied multi-purpose building, costing about RM$700,000, was erected in 1982.
Although the building fund collected then was less than half when the construction began, thank to the Lord, it was dedicated on April 16, 1983 and the dedication was attended by representatives from the IA and churches throughout the world. The IA also took this opportunity to convene its board meeting, South East Asia Evangelical Center (SEAEC) meeting, as well as the spiritual workshop for elders, deacons and preachers.