Local pastor Steven Blunt recently was honored as one of the youngest inductees into the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Board of Preachers of Morehouse College in Atlanta.

Blunt, who has been the pastor of First Baptist Church Mahan Street since 2002, was joined in Atlanta by about 50 church members for the ceremony.

“It is a tremendous honor and distinction,” Blunt said. “Never in a billion years did I ever think I would be inducted into it. It is overwhelming and humbling.”

Each year, 39 people are selected from across the country to be inducted into the organization. The number represents the age of the civil rights leader when he was assassinated.

The organization stands for “advocating for those who have been disenfranchised,” Blunt said, as well as pushing social change, advocacy and creating a faith community.

Blunt said King’s values extend to today’s society.

“King didn’t do anything for himself,” Blunt said. “He was more of a consensus leader. He didn’t go out and do a Gallup poll. Without question, Dr. King is one of the great examples of our faith.”

Blunt said the honor has affected his entire church. More than 50 members traveled to Atlanta by plane, bus and car to attend the ceremony.

“I’m really ecstatic about what this means in a historical light for the pastorate and for the ministry of First Baptist Mahan,” Blunt said.

Blunt is a native of Baton Rouge, La. After receiving his Doctor of Ministry degree at Howard University, he served for six years as pastor of the Mt. Ararat Missionary Baptist Church of Windsor, N.C., before coming to Suffolk’s First Baptist Mahan.

He also serves as vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Virginia, past vice president of the Suffolk Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, vice chairperson of the Board of Directors for the Suffolk Chapter of the American Red Cross, and more.

He and his wife, Brandey, have two daughters, Nakari Brynae and Kori Cheyenne.