Paragraph 256.1b in the UMC Book of Discipline is a wonderful direction, it seems to me. It provides important guidance to the Wesleyan way of Christian formation and seems to encourage the use of classes and class leaders even today:
Accountable Discipleship—Historically class leaders
provided lay pastoral leadership, and classes and class meetings were the basic structural means of Christian spiritual formation in the early Methodist societies.
Class leaders may be commissioned and classes may be organized within the local congregation for the purpose of forming persons as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ through mutual accountability and support for witnessing to him in the world and for following his teachings through acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Here is a good GBOD web page on this: Class Leadership in Covenant Discipleship.
How many churches today actually commission class leaders?
Hopeful 
Several of us wanted to do this in my church years ago, but were kind of stymied by the pastor. Can’t expect too much of the congregation: they have soccer and other things. I think this should be a requirement of membership. Otherwise we are not fulfilling our vows to our church and God.
This is actually a thriving part of the Tongan Congregations of the Methodist Church…though with only around 30-40 congregations it’s kind of only a drop in the ocean..At my church all the families are divided into eight classes including the children and youth forming the ninth with weekly meetings. It is from the class that people are able to share about daily struggles or need for spiritual fellowship through out the week besides church services. We also evaluate whether or not someone should be a candidate to become a lay speaker. It is a nice program that I think enriches the lives of all the families and helps you to be closer with your fellow church members…
Thank you very much for sharing your experiences. This is very good, and makes much sense to me.
Pingback: Class Meetings Anyone? | Hopeful | Church Leadership