Gabe Rivera was born in Iowa City, Iowa. He attended Grand Rapids School of the Bible and Music, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Faith Baptist Bible College, Ankeny, Iowa; and graduated from Virginia Baptist College, Fredericksburg, Virginia. He was a pastor, a missionary, and a Christian educator for 33 years. For 27 of those years, he lived a double life. This life cost him his family, position, and influence in ministry.