Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "bishara" ita ce yaɗa ko haɓaka wani koyaswa ko tsarin imani, musamman ma waɗanda suke da dabi'ar addini, da nufin maida wasu zuwa tsarin imani. Yawancin lokaci ana danganta shi da al'adar Kiristanci, inda aikin bishara ya ƙunshi raba saƙon Bishara tare da wasu a cikin begen kai su ga dangantaka ta sirri da Yesu Kiristi. Aikin bishara na iya ɗaukar nau'i-nau'i da yawa, kamar wa'azi, koyarwa, shaida na kai, da aikin zamantakewa, kuma galibi ana ganinsa a matsayin muhimmin sashe na manufa ta coci.