Evangelist David Heavener Says Pastors Who Lack Pungent Body Odor 'Not Preaching Real Sermon'

Evangelist David Heavener has made the claim that a pastor has to have a strong body odor smell in order to be truly preaching "real sermons."

In the clip, posted Tuesday by Twitter account Christian Nightmares and retweeted by Right Wing Watch, Heavener talks about what makes a "real preacher."

"'A real preacher, what does he smell like, David?' Well, let me tell you something: When a real preacher gets up and starts preaching the gospel," Heavener said, "the sweat starts flinging and sometimes the saliva starts shooting out and their eyes start bulging because the holy spirit gets ahold of them they work up what we call body odor."

"And here's my thing—any pastor that does not have body odor that I can't smell, chances are that pastor is not preaching a real sermon," he added.

The clip appears to be part of a longer series of videos Heavener routinely posts to his personal website davidheavener.tv as well as his YouTube channel. Most of the considerable content on davidheavener.tv is behind a $4.99 per month subscription paywall, and features channels such as "David Heavener Investigates," with short videos including titles like "Saving America Episode 2 The Enemy in Schools," and "Bible that Leaks Oil Full Episode."

Another channel, called "Natural Health God's Way: Cutting-edge news from doctors on vaccines, DIY remedies & more" featuring videos with dubious scientific sourcing, some with titles like "Does Sin Make You Sick?" and some with banners noting they have been banned by YouTube.

Throughout his professional web presence, his title is listed as "film director," "artist," "actor," "singer," "musician," and "head of David Heavener Ministries" which is a "God-centered, Truth-telling movement" that produces Heavener's own online TV series, The Last Evangelist.

On his website, Heavener offers himself up for bookings to speak at events and parties on subjects including: "Tribulation, New World Order, Deep State, Revelation Prophecy Revealed...and exposing Hollywood's Evil Agenda Against Children." Heavener has also supported the QAnon conspiracy theory, which alleges that powerful political figures and Hollywood celebrities are abusing children.

Following the January 6 Capitol riots earlier this year, over 100 prominent and respected evangelical leaders penned an open letter rejecting what they call "white Christian nationalism," and the way it may actually go against the word of the Bible.

"Just as it was tragically inconsistent for Christians in the 20th Century to support the Ku Klux Klan and Nazi ideology, it is unthinkable for Christians to support the Proud Boys, Oathkeepers, QAnon, 3 Percenters, America Firsters, and similar groups," the letter reads in part.

Newsweek reached out to both David Heavener and Christian Nightmares for comment. This story will be updated with any response.